Tamil Nadu students to get 5-day break from online classes

In a respite to school students attending online classes in the state, the Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday announced there would be a five-day break for them starting September 21 to reduce their stress and help them refresh.

School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said a brief vacation has been planned for the school students to help reduce their stress.

"On normal occasions, students are provided quarterly and half-yearly holidays. But due to the Covid-19 pandemic, schools had to switch to online mode of teaching. With Chief Minister K Palaniswami's consent, online classes and telecast of video lessons on television channels will not be conducted from September 21 to 25," he said.

Speaking to reporters in Gobichettipalayam, he said this vacation for students would help them refresh.

All the schools, including private institutions, would be monitored by block-level officers to check whether classes are conducted during these five days, the Minister added.

On the Centre's standard operating procedures (SOP) for partial re-opening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12, Sengottaiyan said the consultation would be done after the Covid-19 situation improves in Tamil Nadu.

On Saturday, the government had directed the schools not to compel students to attend online classes.

Commissioner of School Education Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan wrote to all Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) in the state directing them not to compel students to attend online classes.

Teachers have also been asked to ensure all students, who have been absent from online sessions, are suitably coached and brought on par with other students when the schools reopen.